"I'll never gamble with my career again."

CRAIG BELLAMY took his first tentative steps back on the big stage yesterday, vowing: "I'll never gamble with my career again."

As the Newcastle United ace returned to the squad for the first time in three months for yesterday's game at Birmingham, he made the frank admission that he persuaded Wales boss Mark Hughes he was fine to face Italy in Milan last September.

But at the time he knew he was nowhere near fit and that his troublesome right knee required surgery.

Last night the 24-year-old, who came on for Newcastle as a 75th minute substitute, admitted: "I tried to be a hero and carry on playing but I just ended up looking like a fool.

"I knew I needed an operation and the club knew I needed an operation but they wanted me to play because we'd made such a bad start to the season and Wales also wanted me playing. It was horrendous for me.

"I could hardly train because I was in too much pain.

"In games, I could hardly run, I couldn't twist and couldn't turn - basically I couldn't do any of the things my game is based on. Even though I love football, I just couldn't enjoy it when I was going out on the pitch every week in agony.

"Football is a tough game and you sometimes look for excuses, but I was waking up in the morning having to take anti-inflammatories just to get through games and even to train.

"It was like someone had taken it all away from me."

Bellamy revealed before Wales' Euro 2004 qualifier in Italy last September that his knee complaint was constantly causing him pain.

And in an unprecedented move, Newcastle threatened legal action against the Football Association of Wales if Bellamy picked up an injury while away on international duty in Milan.

Nevertheless, he played in the 4-0 defeat inside the San Siro. He also played five more games for the Toon Army and one for Wales before Newcastle chief Sir Bobby Robson ordered the pint-sized striker to go under the knife for a fifth time.

Renowned American surgeon Dr Richard Steadman performed the operation in Denver last October. Now, four months on, 23-times capped Bellamy is trying to rebuild his career.

"I've got it all back now," he smiled. "It's like someone has given me a new start in my career. It's a godsend.

"I speak to Dr Steadman a lot and there's no doubt about it, he's saved my career. I didn't think I would be coming back. I can't thank him enough for what he did for me. He told me I should have had the operation done ages before I finally went to him. I wanted to play for Wales in Italy and it just ended up being a big mess. I think I'll come back as good as new, but we'll have to wait and see. All the scans on my knee say it's absolutely fine and I feel on cloud nine at the moment. I have only just turned 24 but I've already had five knee operations and I thought it was never going to end.

"I'd been playing for so long with pain and was worried it was never going to go away.

"But I've never worked so hard in my life as I have over the last few months. The operation was vital but the rehabilitation is also so important.

"I feel like a new person now but I was so miserable at the start of the season - there's only so much pain you can take. I'll be taking things one step at a time and first have to concentrate on playing regularly for Newcastle again.

"But I can't wait to get back to being involved at international level. It was so hard for me having to watch the lads in the final few Euro 2004 qualifiers. I'm just desperate to make up for lost time."

Bellamy has told national team coach Mark Hughes that he doesn't want to play until Wales kick-off their World Cup 2006 qualification campaign in Baku against Azerbaijan in September.